This invention relates to a disk drive for information storage, such as a magnetic disk drive and an optical disk drive. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus for attaching an accessory member, such as a spoiler or filter, to a cabinet of the disk drive.
The magnetic disk drive and optical disk drive are used as external information storages of a computer system. In recent years, the recording density of disk media has increased, and if dust enters the cabinet of the disk drive, trouble may occur, such as a head crash or disable data recovery. Therefore, since fixing of parts for the disk drive in the cabinet, such as by screws, will cause dust generation, it is desirable to employ a different method other than attaching by screws the parts into the cabinet. Conventionally, an accessory member, such as a spoiler or a filter, is attached inside the cabinet of the disk drive. The spoiler regulates the flow of air generated by rotation of the disks and equalizes temperature differences in air flow between the disks. Meanwhile, the filter collects dust generated within the cabinet of the disk drive.
FIG. 1 is a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a conventional disk drive illustrating integration of an accessory member in a disk drive cabinet. In this figure, a filter integrating spoiler 2 includes a spoiler 25 and a filter 26. The filter integrating spoiler 2 is included within a cabinet 1 of the disk drive in combination with a plurality of disks 3 and a head actuator (not illustrated). The spoiler 25 has a plurality of parallel fins 27 located between the plurality of disks 3. The cabinet 1 is composed of a cover 11 and a base 12. When the various parts of the disk drive and accessory member are attached to the cover 11 and base 12, the cover 11 and base 12 are then joined together, by fastening means, such as by screw 6.
Conventionally, the filter integrating spoiler 2 is fixed to the base 12 by screws 9. Specifically, through holes 5 are formed at the filter integrating spoiler 2 fixing position of the base 12 and the screws 9 are then used to fix the filter integrating spoiler 2 to the inside of the base 12 through the through holes 5.
In this type of disk drive, an accessory member such as the filter integrating spoiler 2 has been fixed within the base 12 by the screws 9. Fixing by screws 9 are effective for obtaining sufficient fixing strength, but the through holes 5 must be bored through the base 12 for use in fixing the spoiler 2 by the screws 9. Therefore, dust generated when the screw holes 5 are formed still remains even after cleaning efforts. This dust will enter the cabinet 1 through the through holes 5 and, moreover, it is probable that dust is also generated during the screwing assembly step.